But he waylaid me,
gave me a sling shot and rattles
for scaring parrots,
and a skirt of young leaves
which he said look good
on me,

And with his lies
he took the rare innocence
that mother has saved for me.

And now I am like this.

Poet: Maturaikkataiyattar Makan Vennakan

The poem is uttered by the Thalaivi (heroine) to her friend. Thalaivi has lost herself to Thalaivan and is currently separated from the Thaliavan. When she visits the village festival where she first met her Thalaivan.

Some impotant pointers here – Women usually in mountain regions, where they grow Millet – Guard the fields and try to chase away birds from eating the Millet crops. The Thalaivan here lures Thalaivai by getting her Sling shot and rattles which are used to scare the parrots which makes her life easier in the fields.

Then comes the important part of the seduction. The Thalaivan gifts her skirt made of young leaves. This is a very important gift. This is usually given by the Thalivan to Thalaivi to get her acceptance. It is symbolic proposal of sorts. If the Thaliavi accepts this leaf skirt , then Thalaivan can safely assume that Thalivi loves him.

This throws two important pointers – The Leaf skirt, either the people in the mountains still wore dress made of leaves(Sangam poems were dated 1 to 3 AD – Kingdoms where developed by then) or it was a mere poetic custom. Some scholars consider this to be a poetic custom, like current day poets using Anna Paravai which has become extinct before ages. Some Scholars explain that this might be a very earlier custom (probably pre- Tolkapiyan – Bardic custom). Since each of the poem in sangam should follow certain rules prescribed for that region, it might have been used as formula to indicate its Kurunji poem(Mountain regions). The poem has embedded pointers to show which region they belong to. For eg. this poems can be said its a Kurunji poem from two pointers – 1. Rattlers and sling shots to chase parrots 2. the leaf skirt.

Another interesting theme Handled here is meeting of lovers in festivals. Recently there was a big discussion in Ponniyinselvan group about Indra Vila celebrated in Tamil Nadu was a pre cursor to Valentines day. We surely see in Sangam poems and following literature like Silapadikaram that Festivals important place for the lovers. This theme of lovers meeting and falling in love in Festivals is carried on to us even now. Vennila Kabadi Kulu movie one of the latest Tamil movies to has this theme where Hero and heroine meet in a Village festival and fall in love.